Developer pursues controversial housing plan -- again

Dirk Perrefort

Updated 10:18 pm, Thursday, February 7, 2013

Members of the Danbury Enviornmental Impact Commission, representatives of the developer and people from the neighborhood took a site walk of the Cotswald property near Padanaram Road in Danbury Thursday afternoon, Feb. 7, 2013. The developer is proposing 44 single-family homes on the property.
Photo: Carol Kaliff

Members of the Danbury Enviornmental Impact Commission, representatives of the developer and people from the neighborhood took a site walk of the Cotswald property near Padanaram Road in Danbury Thursday afternoon, Feb. 7, 2013. The developer is proposing 44 single-family homes on the property.
Photo: Carol Kaliff

DANBURY -- After several unsuccessful attempts, developers again are trying to build dozens of homes on a large swath of land near the Danbury High School.

For decades, developers have attempted to build on the Cotswald property, a sloping hillside sandwiched between Padanaram and Clapboard Ridge roads that includes wetlands and Padanaram Brook.

The last attempt, in 2007, to build 29 homes on the 75-acre property was denied by city land-use boards, a decision that was upheld by a Superior Court judge three years ago.

Now the developer, Cotswald of Danbury from White Plains, N.Y., is proposing to build 44 units clustered in the northern section of the property.

About 80,000 yards of material would have to be moved to make room for the development, which would essentially create a shelf out of the hillside for the single-family homes.

More than 50 concerned neighbors packed an Environmental Impact Commission public hearing on the proposal. They expressed concerns about the possible environmental impact of the project, including flooding.

The commission continued the hearing to next week to accommodate everyone.

On Thursday, commission members toured the property.

A representative for the developer called the proposal a responsible plan that would provide housing for middle-class families. Paul Scalzo, a real estate agent working with the developer, said the homes likely would be priced in the $300,000 range.

"This project has had a bad reputation in the past," Scalzo said. "But they are trying to come in and do the right thing for the community."

Tom Pura, who lives near the property, said a development there in the late 1970s failed after water washed away the driveways of three homes.

"After that, nobody wanted to buy anything there and the company went bankrupt," he said.

Pura said nearly 30 storm drains on East Gate Road, which is uphill from the property, dump into the land where the housing is proposed. Water from Clapboard Ridge also flows through the property and into the brook, he said.

"There have been times when you can actually see waterfalls on the property," said Ken Gucker, another neighbor who has been fighting the proposal. "The land is just too steep, and the water runoff is incredible."

Scalzo said the development plans call for retention ponds and other infrastructure to deal with stormwater runoff.

Mayor Mark Boughton said the city has taken issue with the project's density, as well as its potential effect on the wetlands that cover about one-third of the property.

He said the developer "is allowed to apply for the appropriate permits and I would encourage residents opposed to the plan to voice their concerns."

Members of the Environmental Impact Commission plan to reopen the public hearing at its meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Other permits also are needed.

The developers have applied for a subdivision approval as well a permit for the project from the city's Zoning Commission.